On May 3, 2012, 10 am – 12 noon at the Kittredge Center, Holyoke Community College, the Network will host a convening of housing authority directors from across the region, DHCD leaders, city officials and housing providers.  Our goals are outlined in the invitation to housing authority directors below.  Please let Pamela Schwartz, network coordinator, know if you are interested in attending at pschwartz77@gmail.com.  Otherwise, we will keep you posted on the outcomes via the blog.  We look forward to this important conversation.

Dear **housing authority director**:

I am writing to invite you to join the Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness for a convening of housing authority directors, city leaders and housing providers to discuss how we can work together to prevent homelessness and provide stable and successful tenancies.  The meeting is:

Exploring the Intersections of Public Housing and Housing Vouchers with Homelessness:

Prevention, Support Services and Best Practices

Thursday, May 3
10 am – 12 noon
The Kittredge Center
Holyoke Community College


Lizbeth Heyer,  Associate Director of DHCD’s Division of Public Housing and Rental Assistance, and Bob Pulster, Associate Director of the Division of Housing Stabilization, will be in attendance to share their insight and support.  Many Network partners will be present, including a broad cross-section of faith, business, and education leaders, elected officials, housing and health care providers and consumers.  And we hope to have representation from every housing authority in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin and Berkshire Counties.  Our goal for this meeting is to launch a conversation about how the Network can support housing authorities in their work and build partnerships that better serve our mutual goals of stable tenancies and homelessness prevention.

At our Network’s Leadership Council in January, we had the pleasure of hosting 8 of our region’s mayors.  Many of them raised the hope for Network outreach and support for collaboration among housing authorities.  We hope you can help us begin to realize that vision by joining us this May.
While we understand that much of this work must take place on a community-by-community level, we feel that a kick-off to the effort, demonstrating Network support, shared resources and collaboration, will provide a good foundation for the work to follow.

Please let me know if you or a representative are able to attend.  I am happy to answer additional questions about this event or the Network (to learn more about the Network, you can also visit our blog at https://www.westernmasshousingfirst.org).  A more detailed agenda will follow as we get closer, but for now I am hoping the date can be saved on your calendar.

I look forward to talking more.

Best,
Pamela

Pamela Schwartz, Director
Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness
413-219-5658
https://www.westernmasshousingfirst.org

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